IPUL's Social Media Recap: June 7, 2019

Here are the highlights of our recent activity online. Not all everything is included due to timeliness. If an advertised event already took place, we've left it off.

Our Kids, Idaho's Future

We shared two announcements about Education in Idaho - the first was an announcement about Governor Brad Little's new "Our Kids, Our Future" task force, which you can read about by clicking this link We also shared an announcement that the Governor made that there are 2 vacancies on the Idaho State School board, with a link to an application to fill those vacancies.

Comment Period opens on Idaho's 1332 "Coverage Choice" Waiver

We shared a post from Close the Gap Idaho about the opening of the comment period for Idaho's 1332 waiver - which is designed to keep people in the 100-138% FPL income range on the private insurance exchange instead of getting Medicaid coverage. The comment period begins today, and will run through June 30th. Two in person hearings will take place, one in Boise (June 24th 2-3 PM, Idaho Dept. of Health and Welfare Westgate Office rm 131), and one in Lewiston (June 27th 10-11AM, Dept. of Health & Welfare, Room 131 Lewiston Office, 3rd Floor Conference Rm) Close the Gap has prepared talking points to help you hone your comments, and is happy to help with crafting comments and testimony .  Click here to review our talking points on the 1332 waiver.  Click here to read the entire post from Close the Gap Idaho about this.

1332 "Coverage Choice" Waiver public hearings in Lewiston and Boise

We also shared two posts about the public hearings mentioned above, which we are combining here. The first public hearing will be Monday, June 24, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. and is being held in Boise at the The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, 1720 N Westgate Dr Rm 131, Boise, ID 83704 ( see the entire post by clicking here ) The next hearing is going to be Thursday, June 27 2019, at 11:00 a.m., and will be held in Lewiston at The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare 1118 F St 3rd Floor Conference Rm Lewiston ID 83501 ( see the entire post by clicking here) Close the Gap Idaho had shared this information with both posts we've linked above: The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare will be holding a hearing for the public to come and submit testimony on the 1332 "Coverage Choice" waiver.  If approved this 1332 waiver would allow newly Medicaid eligible Idahoans that make between 100-138% of the federal poverty level to receive a tax credit to purchase coverage on the Your Health Idaho insurance exchange instead of being automatically enrolled in Medicaid. Close the Gap does not oppose this specific request, but is concerned about Idahoans having full information about the impacts of the choice they would make if this waiver is approved. Testimony should be kept to 3 minutes (300-400 words typed). You can reference our talking points for testimony here: https://www.closethegapidaho.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/1332-Public-Comment-Topline-Messages-FINAL.pdf

Kids and adults on the autism spectrum should be able to enjoy a concert like anyone else and here’s how the Boston Pops is making it happen

We shared this great article about how the Boston Pops is creating a sensory-freindly enviroment for it's concertgoers: ...the Boston Pops partnered with several local autism organizations to plan and review a performance for this underserved audience. With expert input, the event will include reduced lighting levels and volume, relaxed house rules, reduced capacity to create space and credentialed autism therapist volunteers from Juvo, an autism health services organization. Attendees will also have access to noise-cancelling headphones and designated quiet rooms or support spaces, where a live feed of the concert will play on screens. Monder expects hundreds of people to attend the special 75-minute event, which costs $45-50 per ticket, with 50 percent off for children under 17. The Pops musicians are excited and eager for the sensory performance, according to Lockhart. The highly-regarded conductor said the orchestra gives “a wholehearted welcome” to music fans from the autism and sensory-sensitivity communities. Read the entire article here

No Kid Hungry This Summer

If you have a school-aged student in need of breakfast and lunch this summer (or know of someone who does), simply text “FOOD” to 877877 and receive a message back with a location closest to where they can get free summer meals. Spanish-speakers can also text “COMIDA” to 877877. More information about this program: https://www.nokidhungry.org/

Pivot Sessions - Inclusive Dance

We shared this news from Pivot in Boise: New 6 Week session starts June 17! Get your dance on this summer with Pivot. Scholarships available. THE PIVOT MISSION: To offer the community an adaptive, accepting dance, yoga and Movement Therapy environment with skilled and experienced guidance that is safe, accepting and lively. Pivot classes are taught with a people first philosophy, modeled by the students creating a close caring community. Dancers and Yogis are respected for their individuality in an environment adapted for their specific needs. In this way we emphasize a person's accomplishments, creative talents and expression. For more information click here

Schools, Inclusion and Seclusion

NPR is featuring two very important articles that we can all take action on. 1: Be informed of childhood trauma and incorporate appropriate discipline practices and.. 2: When seclusion and restraints are used, the outcomes are poor, which leads us back to 1.

Virtual Reality, Real Impacts

Monday, June 10th. Will you be joining us? I can't wait to bring Miss Amber Hope to see how she will engage with virtual reality! ~Angela Lindig, Idaho Parents Unlimited, Executive Director Join us on June 10th, as we partner up with Idaho Parents Unlimited - a statewide organization which houses the Idaho Parent Training and Information Center, the Family to Family Health Information Center, Idaho Family Voices and VSA Idaho, the State Organization on Arts and Disability.  Head to our home shop in downtown Eagle & try out VR, 15% of our proceeds for this day will go straight back to IPUL.  Our goal is to showcase some of the many ways that Virtual Reality can benefit the social and mental health of children with disabilities, by giving them the ability to be completely in control of their current environment. #Hack4MentalHealth  Full information about the event can be found here

And here's a recent story about how the VR1 Arcade is using virtual reality to help individuals with developmental disabilities to become more independent

"CONSTRUYENDO MI FUTURO" ¡YO SOY EL CAMBIO! - "BUILDING MY FUTURE" I AM THE CHANGE!

LE INVITAMOS A : LA TERCERA CONFERENCIA “CONSTRUYENDO MI FUTURO”-¡YO SOY EL CAMBIO! --------------- NUESTRA ORADORA PRINCIPAL VANESSA SAPIEN Maestría en Psicología, Oradora Profesional, Activista y Actriz de Televisión ¡Tendremos información en español sobre temas relacionados con discapacidades! Habrá cuidados de niños Almuerzo Rifas ¡La presentación de un invitado super especial-Mario Calderon! SEPTIEMBRE 28, 2019 CENTRO CULTURAL HISPANO 315 STAMPEDE DR. NAMPA, ID 83687 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM Para Información Llame A: BERTHA AVILA: (208) 908-2327 GRISELDA CAMACHO: (208) 703-5470 Este evento esta siendo organizado con el patrocinio de: ICDD, IPUL, ICCU, CDHD, Pantera Market, y otros colaboradores.

Caregiving in Idaho Lifespan Respite Summit

CAREGIVING IN IDAHO LIFESPAN RESPITE SUMMIT Idaho Caregiver Alliance July 30, 2019 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. North Idaho College 1000 W. Garden Ave., Coeur d'Alene, Idaho "Respite is a fancy name for a break for caregivers." (WebMD) Do you: • Coordinate services for your child with disabilities/special needs? • Make phone calls to check in on an older loved one? • Drive a family member or friend to doctors appointments? • Help someone manage their medications? • Provide for grandchildren in the absence of parents? • Help someone with household chores or making meals? • Help someone make healthcare decisions? Come join us and share your story.  This event is FREE (Preregistration is required)  To register go to: https://arch.wildapricot.org/event-3422904 Email questions to: Pam.Oliason@aging.idaho.gov Light breakfast and lunch provided Brought to you by the Idaho Caregiver Alliance - a consortium of state, regional and local governmental, private and non-profit organizations and individuals working together to improve community-based supports for family caregivers who care for people of all ages; and ARCH - the National Respite Network and Lifespan Respite Resource Center. Many thanks to these Alliance members and event hosts for their generous support -- AARP Idaho, Boise State University, ARCH National Respite Network, Idaho Commission on Aging, Idaho Parents Unlimited, Molina Healthcare, and Blue Cross of Idaho

We want you to update your preferences!

You can now tune your email preferences! We want to be sure you are getting the mail from us that matters to you. We recently corrected an issue that was keeping people from being added to our mailing list, so if you are seeing this today for the first time, welcome! When you join our mailing list you begin by getting everything we send out... However we know that not everyone wants to see everything we send out, so we are making it easy to tune your preferences. If you scroll to the very bottom of this mailing you will find a link that says "update profile" clicking this will launch a page where you can update your information, and choose what mailings you will receive from us in the future. You will be able to deselect or select to be on the newsletter list, the social media update list, or the announcements list. If you are happy with getting everything, then you don't have to do anything, you are all set. But should you want to adjust what we send you, that is now possible.

June's Statewide Training: Tools for Your Toolbox

Broadcast Live from the Boise office and interactive statewide via our webinar platform.   Tools for Your Toolbox  Wednesday, June 12, 2019 | 5:30 - 7:00 pm MT     This is an all inclusive training covering everything from early childhood, IDEA, transition to adulthood, coordination of care, and much more.   We welcome people who want to attend the training in person at our Boise office. (Please plan to be in the office at least by 5:20 p.m.)  People attending remotely via our simulcast webinar will only need to have a modern web browser to attend. (And you can do that via computer, smartphone, or tablet)  You will receive a confirmation email with a link to join the live event.

Register Here

IPUL's Webinar Library:

Just a reminder that we have changed how we present our webinars - rather than a live webinar, will are now releasing a series of shorter, prerecorded modules on the same topic as our statewide training. The idea being that once we put them up, they will remain available for anyone to register to see and watch at their leisure. You can find them here on our website:  https://ipulidaho.org/webservids